August 21, 2003

MWI: Mowing While Intoxicated

My locale sure isn't boring. Here's what happened just up the road from me:

The question of what constitutes a motor vehicle has become the central issue in the case of a man accused of operating a riding lawn mower on a street while drunk. Barry S. Davis, 44, of Hartford, appeared in Wednesday in Washington County Circuit Court on a charge of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated Tuesday. Davis admitted to drinking a six-pack of beer, but said he did not know driving a lawn mower while intoxicated was illegal. Judge Andrew Gonring asked Washington County Assistant District Attorney Peter Cannon what the definition of a motor vehicle was. Cannon told the judge, according to state statute, a motor vehicle is any vehicle that is self-propelled. "We believe it applies" to this case, Cannon said. Davis claimed in court he was simply crossing the road. "I wasn't weaving, swerving, nothing like that. I couldn't knock a chair over with it even," he said. But, according to the criminal complaint, Hartford Officer James Zywicki pulled the man over after seeing the mower move side to side on Grant Street and then seeing then nearly go in a ditch to avoid oncoming traffic. Davis spent Tuesday night in the Washington County Jail, then was released after signing a $750 signature bond. He is scheduled to return to court Sept. 3 for further proceedings.